Problem Challenge Competition Collections

The Problem Challenge competition has been running since 1991. Each year Intermediate School children tackle 25 challenging maths questions of a problem solving nature.

These questions have been collected together in six books, along with fully worked solutions, suggestions for extension activities and an introduction to problem solving. They provide invaluable resources, not only as preparation for new Problem Challenge competitions, but also for honing problem solving skills at levels from Primary School through to High School.

The Final Challenge has run since 1999 and consists of harder questions. It is offered at the end of the year to children who score well in the main competition.

All competition books are spiral bound.
From 2025 they should be purchased from The University Book Shop — see below for ordering details and link.

1	5-Year Competition Book 1991 - 1995 This 95-page book is a compilation of the 125 problems from the first five years of the competition together with their answers and solutions. There is also a brief introduction to problem solving and some statistical data listing the percentage of students who successfully answered each of the questions.
2	4-Year Competition Book 1996 - 1999, with Final Challenge 1999 This book is a compilation of the 100 problems from the next four years of the competition, together with the 20 questions from the first Final Challenge competition, held in 1999. It features coloured illustrations, full solutions and analysis, and ideas for extension work. The introduction looks in detail at three typical problems and discusses useful techniques for general problem solving.
3	5-Year Competition Book 2000 - 2004 (including Final Challenge) The third competition book is similar to Book 2 and features all 125 problems from 2000 to 2004, together with the corresponding questions from the Final Challenge competition (another 100 questions). It features coloured illustrations, full solutions and analysis, and ideas for extension work. 120 pages of problem solving!
4	5-Year Competition Book 2005 – 2009 (including Final Challenge) The fourth competition book is similar to Book 3 and features all 125 problems from 2005 to 2009, together with the corresponding questions from the Final Challenge competition (another 100 questions). It features coloured illustrations, full solutions and analysis, and ideas for extension work. Another 114 pages of problem solving!
5	5-Year Competition Book 2010 – 2014 (including Final Challenge) The fifth competition book is similar to Books 3 and 4 and features all 125 problems from 2010 to 2014, together with the corresponding questions from the Final Challenge competition (another 100 questions). It features coloured illustrations, full solutions and analysis, and ideas for extension work. Another 115 pages of problem solving!
6	5-Year Competition Book 2015 – 2019 (including Final Challenge) The sixth competition book is similar to Books 3, 4 and 5 and features all 125 problems from 2015 to 2019, together with the corresponding questions from the Final Challenge competition (another 100 questions). It features coloured illustrations, full solutions and analysis, and ideas for extension work. Another 116 pages of problem solving!
7	5-Year Competition Book 2020 – 2025 (including Final Challenge) The seventh competition book is similar to Books 3 to 6 and features all 125 problems from 2020 to 2025, together with the corresponding questions from the Final Challenge competition (except for the year 2021 when this part of the competition did not run). It features coloured illustrations, full solutions and analysis, and ideas for extension work. Another 109 pages of problem solving! Book 7 now available!

Ordering and Payment

These books can be purchased from The University Book Shop. You can pay by credit card or, if you are ordering on behalf of a school or group that has an account with UBS, ask to be invoiced.

Freight: Orders over $100 are free, otherwise $9.90 within New Zealand. International freight options exist.